Marina Yardaeva Equalization or base? About the benefits of a unified education program in schools 06/10/2023, 08:09

As today’s graduates take exams, the principles of uniformity run deep into education, while some curse and some praise the USE for its universality and uniformity. Now we will have not only a single state examination, but also a single school program for the whole of Russia (it will be, will be, no one will cancel it). And with that, the same textbooks for everyone. Variation is kept to a minimum. Yes, and this is only possible if a basic level is provided. And it all starts this September. As usual, the discussion developed.

There is nothing new in the discussion. Some, as usual, are afraid of change, while others look forward to it. Some fear that “bringing everyone to a common denominator” will plunge our education into dullness and poverty (as if we are now witnessing blooming complexity), others are fed up with the fact that different schools are like different universes and want at least some form of education. stability. You can understand both. But that’s not the point. The important thing is that both can be secured. A single program is a blessing in itself, it does not prevent anyone from developing in-depth on any subject. If only the execution didn’t disappoint us as usual (for example, we wouldn’t have to wait another ten years for these combined textbooks). But that’s another question.

Let’s start with the good. A unified program is undoubtedly a necessary common point of support in our diverse, varied and vibrant society. We have a huge country where representatives of different nations, sects, mentalities and worldviews live side by side. But no one sits alone in their own little world for long, different communities collide, people can change more than one house in their lifetime, they can move hundreds or even thousands of kilometers. It doesn’t matter who is for personal reasons, who is for career. People move with whole families, with children.

And what is it like for these kids, if they’ve already studied liturgy and participle at the new school and didn’t even pronounce such words in the old one, and even an in-depth study of biology and chemistry at the new place, with math heavily in the old one? In such a situation, the child cannot grow up for 2-3 months. Also, the gap is constantly growing due to the inability to detect new material. If there are opportunities in the family, the parents hire a teacher for the student, but this is also troubling. The load increases, affects health.

And after all, there are many such inconsistencies in programs between schools today. Even between different classes in parallel with the same school, there are differences in the programs. Moreover, these inconsistencies are completely meaningless – we are not talking about the difference between deep and light, conditionally good and absolutely bad options. Everything is much simpler and more ridiculous.

Tritely, the school bought two fifth-grade textbooks in one year, then published three fourth-grade elementary school textbooks. They wanted to buy the same textbooks for the new team they had last year but they were discontinued, they had to buy others. Different textbooks – different program. Do not ask how the parallel quota cannot be increased within a two-year planning. We always have this.

And so it is almost everywhere. With a wide variety of programs, training routes and profiles, the level (not counting gyms and private math or language schools) is the same plus or minus everywhere. So the question is, why fence the garden?

As for profiles, there are also a lot of questions, by the way. The most important thing: why are these actually needed in a comprehensive school? What distinction can there be in fifth grade as humanities and mathematicians? Except it’s anecdotal. I did not learn the multiplication table – humanist. You read in syllables – possibly a technician. The truth, of course, is coarser: the one who usually contradicts mathematics does not shine in literature and natural sciences. And unlike the others, they have time everywhere. For both, specialized education only undermines, so to speak, universal harmony.

But fortunately, the real risks of suffering from deep learning in a regular district school are not so great today. Just because these indentations are very conditional. In a way, you know, they’re more in the reports than they are in practice. Beautiful.

But what if, in practice, variability only leads to chaos, not revealing the individual characteristics of children, and then there is no longer any striving for differentiation in education? But why. In a special order, no one prevents anyone from developing. School is fundamental. And then – whatever your heart desires. No one has yet forbade a single mother’s little humanist to read books that are not included in the school curriculum. No one forbade any father from doing simple scientific experiments at home with a prospective scientist. Yes, grandmothers who want to pass on the basics of needlework to their grandchildren and grandfathers who are virtuosos in woodcarving are not limited to anyone in their ambitions for development and education.

Oh, it’s all somehow expensive and inconvenient on your own? Yes, my family works. And grandparents too, we all remember raising the retirement age. But there is still additional training. Painting, music and sports schools, children’s art houses, youth centers. God, what’s in this DDT and DYUTS today: design, programming, clothing modeling, robotics, hairdressing, journalism and sailing. There, 7th-9th. You can master several professions in the classroom. And without prejudice to basic education. And most of the episodes are free. Yes, and in ordinary schools there are enough circles in the garden: from the art studio and modeling to dance and football. Choose what you want – improve!

What do you mean everything is wrong? And who decided that “this” is necessarily two additional maths or extra biology? Who said that the real right development is not sewing, drawing or playing in an amateur children’s theatre, but an extension of sitting at the desk, in front of the textbook and notebook? The latter is much more interesting for children. And when it’s more interesting, anything new is both easier and more deeply assimilated.

It turns out that the additional training system (really pretty good in Russia, by the way) is a good answer for those who like to shout about merging and syncing. With the opportunities available for education outside the walls of the school, leveling is only available in individual heads. But you can not retreat from the base, mix at your discretion.

The author expresses his personal opinion, which may not coincide with the editors’ position.